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Regular Session, 2013
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 129
BY REPRESENTATIVE BROADWATER
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON
To direct each public body that has a custodian of public records to make the identity and
contact information of its custodian available to the public in a manner that will
allow a member of the public to quickly determine the appropriate person to whom
a public records request should be submitted, including by placing such information
on the Internet.
WHEREAS, the Constitution of Louisiana recognizes the right of the people of the
state to participate directly in the affairs of government in providing, in Article XII,
Section 3, that no person shall be denied the right to examine public documents, except as
provided by law; and
WHEREAS, the legislature enacted the Public Records Law to provide relative to
this right; and
WHEREAS, the Public Records Law applies to each "public body", which term is
defined to include any branch, department, office, agency, board, commission, district,
governing authority, political subdivision, or any committee, subcommittee, advisory board,
or task force thereof, any other instrumentality of state, parish, or municipal government,
including a public or quasi-public nonprofit corporation designated as an entity to perform
a governmental or proprietary function, or an affiliate of a housing authority; and
WHEREAS, the Public Records Law establishes a framework for the ready
availability of public records to requesting persons; and
WHEREAS, the Public Records Law specifically provides that it is the duty of the
custodian of the public records of a public body to provide copies to persons so requesting;
and
WHEREAS, the identity and contact information for most custodians of public
records are not readily available to members of the public; and ENROLLEDHCR NO. 129
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WHEREAS, many public bodies contain other public bodies which may have their
own custodians, although this is not always the case; and
WHEREAS, it is therefore difficult in many instances for a member of the public to
determine to whom a public records request should be submitted; and
WHEREAS, this difficulty increases the time and expense involved in examining
public records and thereby impedes the public's ability to exercise this important right
granted in the constitution; and
WHEREAS, the Internet has become an important resource for the public to obtain
important information, including information concerning government.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
direct each public body that has a custodian of public records to make the identity and
contact information of its custodian available to the public in a manner that will allow a
member of the public to quickly determine the appropriate person to whom a public records
request should be submitted, including by placing such information on the Internet.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
chief justice of the Supreme Court of Louisiana, each statewide elected official, the chief
executive officer of each department in the executive branch of state government, the
speaker of the House of Representatives, the president of the Senate, the Louisiana
Municipal Association, the Police Jury Association of Louisiana, and the Louisiana School
Boards Association.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI VES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE